Adjustable form for shaping articles



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H. FRATER ADJUSTABLE FORM FOR SHAPING ARTICLES s Filed July 18, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT, .-oFFIcE. WILLIAM II. rnATER, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIeNoItA TCYAMEPQICAN AUTorARTs COMPANY, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CoRPoRATIoN.; j f

ADJUSTABLENFORM FOR SHAPING 'A BiTICLES.

Application filedy IJuly 18,

This invention relates to a neW and im proved adjustable form for shapingmaterial and more specifically to an vapparatus particularly adaptedv for forming curved springs or similar articles. 'V l Articles such as springsare formed by being pressed to the desired shapeV While heated to a proper temperature and are then quenched While maintained in the desired shape. When so treated land properly quenched theymaintain the desired contour upon being released from the form. Springs ot this character are used formed to a Wide variety of contours. t is consequently customary to provide adjustable shaping means which may be adapted to formv the various shapes desired.

It is obviously necessary for practical and ei'hcient operation of such Shapers that the forms engaging the material are such as Vto permit adequate Contact oft the spring being formed with .the quenching fluid. Vhere, as is customary7 the springs are formed upon circular arcs7 the changing of the adjustment of the forming elements from one arc to another isa lengthy operation requiring great care 'since each form element ymust be adjusted an vamount diiering fromthe adjacent elements. i

1t is an object or'l thepresent invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for farming curved articles comprising a form consisting of a plurality of Vrelatively adjustable elements together with means for simultaneously adjusting the elements.

it is a further object to provide an ap paratus oft this character in which theelements throughout their range of adjustment may be maintained in pr-edetermined geometric relation.

f It is van additional object to provide an apparatus ot this character consisting or' movable cams adapted for simultaneous operation, the camsengaging` the various elements dii'ering in Vcontour whereby the elementsmay be. simultaneously differentially adjusted. f

it is an additional object to provide means ot this character in Which the forming 4elements are yieldingly maintained in engagement with the adjusting means.

lt is a turtherobject to provide an apparatus ha 'ing the 1forming means divided 1923. serial No. 652,264. j

into a plurality of series; eachv of which may be adjusted independently,while'the elements of each series maybe maintained in predetermined relation. Y n

Other and Vfurther objectswvill appear as the description proceeds. i' I I have illustrated al preferred embodimentv of my invention in the laccompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a plan viewvotan apparatus embodying the present invention;v

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; andy k Fig. 3 is a sideelevat-ion of the apparatus, certain parts being broke-n away. forY the sake of clearness. f

lThe apparatus comprises the tank y11 yvhich is adapted to contain the oilquenchmg bath, this tank being provided With the bearings 12 into/ Which are fitted the trunnions 13 of the. mainframe 14. AThismain frame 14 carries the sliding trame l15 which is fittedin the guide-Ways 16. kThis frame mainframe 14 against-thefresistance of the springs 17 by ineansof the karins 21 pvoted to frame 16 at 22 and having the rollers 23 engaging the edge 24 of the frame. At the v inner limit of its movementthe rollers 23 tit in depressions 25 and the frame'is main'- tained in this position' against the resistance ofthe springs 17.

They ,main trame 11i/has the cross member 26 upon ywhich'are supported a plurality of forming elements 27. These elements are held down by the removable plate V28. The forming elementsas shown in Figs. Qand 3 carry the y"pins 29 which are adapted to Contact Withx the material to rbe formed. These pins are secured in place by bolts 30 and to the'upper ends'ot" these bolts are serwhich are secured rto studs 32 rcarried by plate 28.

'AS best Shown inl Fig.. 2, each element 27 carries an 4adjustable Contactl stud 33 which is threaded in an *openingl 341 inthe cured the springs 31,A the opposite ends ot element'and is locked in adjusted position by nut 35. These contact studs each contact with a rotary cam 36 carried rby shaft 37 or 38, these shafts being supported in alined relation upon the main frame 14. The shaft 37 is provided' with the gear 39 with which meshes the pinion 40, the pinion 40 being provided with an operating shaft having a squared endAl.. The shaft 38 is provided with a similar gear l2 meshing with pinion 4.3 which may be operated by squared shaft 44.

In the operation of the apparatus, the blank to be formed is first heated to .the proper temperature and then is placed against the pins L29. The levers 22 are swung to force the member 20 against the blank and this member 'being flexible causes the blank to conform to .the arcuate y,contour defined by the closely spaced pins. The entire frame lt and its associated parts are now swung from the horizontal position in which they Vare shown in Fig. l to the ver-` tical position. This serves to carry the heated and curved blank below the level of a quenching bath lof oil in the tank l1. It will be understood that the frame 14 is pro- .vided with suitable counterbalances 4and Vlatches for Ymaintaining itin .the desired position and facilitating its movement. 'These features form no part of the present invention `and lhave not been shown and need not be described in detail. When the blank is adequately quenched, the frame .and associated parts are returned to the 'horizontal and the blank which now maintains its curvature is removed from the pins of the. contact elements by releasing the sliding frame l5 which is drawn to the position of Fig. l by springs 17.

The camsurfaces lupon the cam wheels36 are so related that in whatever position the shaft 37 or Y38 may be turned, all of the elements associated with cams carried by the shaft will maintain their contact pins upon the arc of a circle. The yradius of this circle obviously varies as the shaft is turned. When turned to one limit of movement, the radius of the circle will reach infinity and the pins will be upon .a straight line. The opposite limit of adjustment may Lbe such as to bring the pins to an arc of relatively small radius such, for example, as twentyfour inches. y 'i y Each of the forming 4elements may Vbe adjusted vindividually relative to its associated cam wheel by loosening the corresponding lock nut 35 and .turning the contact stud 33. Proper adjustment .may be determined by @rotating the shaft to bring the elements to their limit of movement at which they should be yupon a straight line. The 4elelmen-ts `may then be tested -by a straight edge ,and .the proper studs vvaried Ato bring them all into Contact `with the straight edge.

It is sometimes desirable to form springs having their two ends formed Vupon arcs having differing radii of curvature. There fore, the two series of elements are associated with separate actuating shafts so that each series may be operated independently of the other. It is apparent, of course, that if a continuous arc is desired, the two shafts may Sbe .adjusted :to 4the same rotary' position.

rlhis apparatus is capable of rapid adjustmentto' an -i-nfi-nite variety of circular arcs. While throughout the present discussion reference has only been made to cir- "cular arcs, it will be apparent that the cam surfaces may be so formed as to simultaneously adjust the various forming elements to provide any desired relationship between l .theV elements through their ra-nge of adjustment.

`I have illustrated one vpreferred embodiment ofmy rinvention but I contemplate the Vcams whereby they may be Yrotated Ito simultaneously 'adjust the elements, the -cam surfaces Ibeingso related that the elements are maintained fin predetermined geometricv relation, and means for forcing the article against the ladjusted *for-m elements. Y

3. Apparatus for forming curved articles comprising a form consisting of a plural-ity of relatively adjustable elements, rotary cams engaging the elements, a shaft-carrying the cams whereby they may be rotated to simultaneously 1adj ust YtheV elements, means whereby the lelements may {be individually adjusted relative tothe cams7 and I'means for l f forcing the article against -theY adjusted rform elements. Y

4. Apparatus .for forming curved articles comprising a form consisting of a plurality of relatively adjustable elements, means for simultaneously `adjusting' said elements, means for maintaining the gform elements yieldingly in engagement with the adjusting means, and means for forcing the article against the adjusted :fonm elements. Y

Apparatus for .formingv curved articles 4comprising aform -consisting of a plurality of .relatively adjustable elements, rotary cams engaging the elements, a shaft carrying the cams whereby they may be `rotated to simultaneously adjust the elements, and spring means maintaining the elements in engagement with the Cams.

6. Apparatus for' forming curved articles comprising' a plurality of series of relatively adjustable elements.` rotary cams engaging the elements and a shaft Carrying the cams engaging each series of elements whereby the elements of each series may be adjusted independently of those of other series.

Signed at Detroit7 Michigan, this 13th day of July, 1923.

WILLIAM Il. FRATER. 

